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Watson, Monda Lynn

May 2, 1959 –
 May 3, 2021

Obituary

Monda Lynn Watson passed away on the day after her 62nd birthday, way too soon.   Monda grew up in Memphis, Tennessee.  Her mother was Marilyn Yvonne Watson, (Marilyn passed in January 2020) and her natural father was James Killean, (who passed in June 2007).  Monda referred to Marilyn’s second husband, Bill Watson II as Dad, who passed in 1996.   Monda secured her primary and secondary education at Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis and eventually became a board member until her death. Monda, resourceful from an incredibly early age, signed up as an Au Pair, affording her the freedom to travel abroad the summer prior to entering college.  She quickly abandoned the nanny gig, opting instead to fill her days and the rest of her summer abroad by picking grapes.  She returned to Memphis and enrolled in the University of Memphis but her dreams for a broader vista led her to LA where she reconnected with her natural father, Jim Killean, attended and graduated from UCLA. Monda’s first love was her daughter Maguire, closely followed by her beloved Camp Sequoya in Abingdon, VA where she spent many years first as a camper, and later years as camp counselor.   She always described the settings as an idyllic environment or escape from the often-awkward teenage years.  She built, maintained, and challenged lifetime friendships, spanning well over 50 years.  The campers, stretched across the US, hosted regular reunions to relive and recite the Sequoya creed, permanently embedded in their hearts. After graduating from UCLA, Monda followed several of the campers to Dallas, where she would spend the rest of her adult life.   In 1998, Monda attended El Centro College, undertaking enough accounting hours to earn her Certified Public Accounting License and spent the rest of her career as a CPA, specializing in real estate financial services. Monda mentored and supported an impoverished family she first connected with in Dallas, and her charity followed the family’s move to Mississippi, where Monda continued to host regular fund-raising events, delivering the gifts to their new home. Monda leaves behind her daughter, Maguire Evis Watson, and brothers James Joseph (Jim) Watson of Melbourne Australia, William Andrew (Andy) Watson III of Nashville, and his wife Patti, and Samuel Parks (Parks) Watson of Memphis, and his wife Sue Ellen, numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins as well as countless friends, colleagues, and campers. Monda Lynn Watson died a legend and may her goodness shine through each of us.   Memorial Service Details: Friday, June 4, 2021 at 10:00am located at North Dallas Funeral Home 2710 Valley View Lane, Farmer’s Branch, TX 75234.   Please leave the family condolences and share memories on this website.

Arrangements under the direction of:

Aria Cremation Service and Funeral Home

19310 Preston Road

Dallas, Texas 75252

(214) 306-6700

    Jamie Kingsley
    11 May 2021
    8:33pm

    I am still shocked and heart broken. You are so dear to me and will truly be missed.

    Robert Delgado
    13 May 2021
    9:07am

    My heart goes out to everyone who knew Monda. We all loved her and she will be missed deeply. Love and Light my friend!

    Frances Stites
    15 May 2021
    8:21pm

    Momma Monda you were loved by your fellow Sequoya sisters . So sorry that your time here on earth was shortened. I look forward to seeing you in heaven. We will celebrate your life with our sisters. Love to your family and my condolences.❤️You touched my life and I’ll always remember you!

    Jodi Smith
    17 May 2021
    10:35pm

    Monda, you will be missed by many. We, your Sequoia sisters, will always remember your laughter, good humor, leadership and kindness. You have left us with so many great memories to cherish. Praying the Lord’s strength and comfort from required and the rest of the Watson family.

    Lori Angelot
    20 May 2021
    5:32pm

    My friend Monda: You are missed. I can’t believe you’re gone.

    I’ll miss our two hour chats and the laughs we shared. Catching up with you always made my day.

    I have so many good memories with you and Maguire, starting from preschool when we first met. Thank you for taking my daughter on the vacation of a lifetime. And thank you for introducing my kids to Camp Winnamocka.

    I love your obituary. It made me smile. Thank you to the wonderful writer of this.

    Kate B Walsh
    15 May 2022
    10:05am

    As a very old friend of Monda’s from her WDC days, I am shocked to just learn of her passing. I was trying to look up a current cell number to wish her a happy birthday when I came across her obituary. How did Monda die? I hope she didn’t suffer. She taught me me so much and I still cherish her gift of Shel Silverstein’s “The giving tree” – which she was in the flesh. Sleep well, dear friend.

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"Excellent customer service, they made you feel like you were their only customer. Very helpful and explained what we should expect during the process. They basically took care of our needs during this time. They contacted DFW National Cemetery for us which made it a smooth experience. Definitely will use them again."
K. Barker
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"I was amazed how professional the team at Aria Funeral Preston Dallas Texas are. They guided me through the process and my options of their services that they offered for my mother. They are compassionate, caring, calm, good listener, efficient and did an excellent job! Thank you!"
R. Woll
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"If I could give 6 stars I would. Aria made a difficult easier to deal with by basically taking care of everything in an efficient but very empathetic manner. I can speak highly enough of Dusty Martin, who helped us with all of the planning and logistics. He was incredibly understanding and helpful."
Angel M.
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"Nothing prepares you for the grief you go through when losing a child. I called this funeral home at 2:00 am broken and could barely talk. The amount of compassion and empathy they showed me immediately let me know I found the right place to cremate my son. I cannot thank them enough for their professionalism, SINCERE concern, and commitment to making sure my son was honored in the most respectful way. I hope this Funeral home values her as much as my family and I do."
McGee Family
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"Wayne and Staff, thank you for taking care of the arrangements for our mom, Exter McGee and our dad, Philip McGee. You have been great to work with during such a difficult time."
Elledge Family
Elledge Family
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"On behalf of my family, I wanted you to know how much we appreciate your handling of my husband's final arrangements. Wayne Baxter assisted & guided us through the entire process with such care & compassion. Don't know what we would have done without him! Sincerely, Colleen Elledge"
The Peterson Family
The Peterson FamilyYelp! Review - Northwest Highway 5-Stars
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"I can’t say enough about how helpful and professional Dusty Martin, the funeral director at the Aria Cremation location on NW Highway has been. From my initial call, he was kind and informative. My friend died at home while on hospice and she was picked up in about an hour after receiving the call from the hospice nurse. The person who arrived to pick her up was also very professional/respectful and allowed us to take as much time with her as we wished. When I met with Dusty the next day about arrangements, he explained the process and options available without being pushy or trying to “sell” extras. Throughout the process, he kept me informed and, for example, was careful to be certain I understood the cost of the obituary I wanted and offered some options for reducing that cost if I wished. When I stopped by for another reason and started talking about some of the problems I was having with the pictures and media I hoped to use at a memorial lunch I was planning, he not only listened patiently but offered technology advice and let me use his personal media player. I have had experience arranging cremations for four others using two other local companies, and this experience with Dusty at Aria has been by far the best one I have had."
Paula Barnes
Paula BarnesGoogle Review
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"My Daddy’s service and our family experience at Aria Northwest Highway was truly blessed. Funeral Director Dustin Martin is the kind of person that you would like to see on a more regular basis – but in his industry – you hope to not see him that often. That being said – THANK YOU DUSTIN for your unending kindness, compassion and friendship through the process. Meeting you and discussing Dallas History, Find A Grave and my Dad’s lifelong contributions to the great City of Dallas was simply wonderful! In memory of my dad James A. Dodd, Sr. – I want to personally thank you and let you know that you made everything better in that moment. Your calling to “Be There” is spot on. Aria has a one in a million guy in you! Bling Blinky of TEXAS Shout Out: God Bless You!!"
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